Addressing the Summit on the Role of Bioenergy in India for Atmanirbhar Bharat in Energy, Climate Change & Pollution Mitigation, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari focused on ethanol and sustainable aviation fuel production (SAF).
He emphasized, “By using surplus feedstock, we need to increase ethanol production. The potential in ethanol is likely to increase, and India should become the biggest manufacturing centre for sustainable aviation fuel. The day is not far away when all our planes will fly on the aviation fuel produced through our farmers, and the world’s planes will also run on aviation fuel produced by us.”
Gadkari stated, “At Davos, it was decided that sustainable aviation fuel should be made 5 percent mandatory as aviation fuel.”
Speaking on Flex engines, he mentioned, “Bajaj, TVS, Hero Honda have manufactured ethanol-compatible scooters and motorcycles. Suzuki and other companies have also assured me that they will launch Flex engines soon.”
In Assam, at Numaligarh, ethanol production is taking place through bamboo, so he advised the Numaligarh MD to utilize bamboo in the North East to produce ethanol and export it to Bangladesh with 20 percent ethanol-blended petrol. This initiative will facilitate ethanol export, reduce prices by 2 rupees for Bangladesh, and also contribute to environmental conservation in the country. Additionally, lakhs of Assam’s youth will get new employment opportunities through bamboo farming.
He also stated, “We have to become the 3rd largest economy in 3 years and focus on more employment generation. To achieve this, we need to check imports. We must become exporters in the fuel sector. It is difficult but not impossible.”
